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Going Green, Saving Green: Swimming Pools

 Filling a pool, heating it, and keeping it clean can be costly.  It can also involve chemicals that aren't good for you, or the environment.

While it may seem a little strange to think about an outdoor swimming pool in mid-November, pool experts say winter is the perfect time to make a few changes that will end up saving you money in the long run. First up, old traditional water pumps run constantly at one speed, and newer models can vary the amount of power used, saving on energy.

Stewart Vernon, President of ASP Franchising, tells 41 NBC News, "A lot of the technology over the past few years has advanced so that the pump and filter system on a pool can be much more eco-friendly, and much more energy efficient."

Tom Swift, COO of ASP Franchising, adds, "With an existing traditional pump, you have to run it at full steam all the time. With a variable speed pumps, you can literally increase or decrease the power to the pump which can save a homeowner $600 to $1300 a year."

Pure chlorine is traditionally used to sanitize a pool. By adding an ozonator and salt system to your pool, chlorine can be created from regular table salt.  A 40 pound bag of salt will run you less than $10, while a 40 pound bag of pure cholorine will cost more than $150.

Swift says, "There are various products such as salt systems, ozonators, which can be installed to not only help them save money on the chemicals they use, but help promote a greener healthier environment.  Salt is safe, it's not harmful. It's a natural byproduct in our atmosphere, and by installing an ozonator, you use this natural process to sanitize your pool without having to add any chemicals whatsoever."

Vernon adds, "The salt system allows you to reduce the need for traditional chlorine, so on a monthly basis like some homeowners, we're not coming out and dumping chlorine into the pool. The salt system is producing that chlorine for us.  Replacing the pump and adding a salt system to the pool is the best thing you can do for an existing pool system."

While these upgrades can cost several thousand dollars, manufacturers say they will pay for themselves in two to three years, just from energy and chemical savings.

For more information:  www.asppoolandspaco.com or  www.swimmingpooltipsandcare.com